Why Palm Oil Is Bad For The Environment & How To Avoid It
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Palm oil sucks.
If you care about the planet, it should be on your blacklist.
It’s one of the most destructive ingredients in our global supply chain, hiding in plain sight in half the products at your local store – from snacks to shampoo.
Despite the “sustainable” labels and corporate greenwashing, the truth is simple: palm oil production is wrecking rainforests, killing wildlife, fueling climate change, and exploiting vulnerable communities. And it’s everywhere.
In this post, we’ll break down exactly why palm oil is a problem, what you can do about it, and how to spot it before it sneaks into your cart again.
Why is palm oil bad for the planet, you may ask? In short…
- 🏞️ Massive deforestation to make way for monoculture plantations
- 🦧 Wildlife extinction, especially orangutans, tigers, and rhinos
- 🔥 Slash-and-burn clearing causes deadly air pollution, which may have caused over 100,000 premature deaths
- 🌍 Major CO₂ emissions from destroyed peatlands and biodiversity loss
- 👩🏽🌾 Human rights abuses: unsafe working conditions, child labor, land grabs
Still think that jar of cookies is harmless? Let’s dive deeper.
What is palm oil, and why is it so popular?
Palm oil comes from the fruit of the oil palm tree (Elaeis guineensis). Originally from West Africa, it’s now grown mostly in Indonesia and Malaysia, where over 27 million hectares of rainforest have been cleared for plantations.
Why do corporations love it? It’s cheap. Really cheap.
- Produces more oil per hectare than any other crop
- Grows year-round
- Has a long shelf life
- Works well in processed foods, soaps, cosmetics, and biofuels
Translation: maximum profit with minimal care for the environment.
“But isn’t there sustainable palm oil?”
Short answer: No. Not really.
Groups like the RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) make big promises: no deforestation, fair labor, environmental responsibility. Sounds great, right?
Reality check:
- Investigations by Greenpeace, Amnesty International, and journalists have shown rampant violations of these standards.
- “Sustainable” plantations often still destroy ecosystems and displace Indigenous communities.
- Certification is often just greenwashing – a PR stunt to soothe eco-conscious consumers.
Unless you’re sourcing directly from a vetted smallholder project (rare), that “sustainable” logo is mostly a marketing gimmick.
Here’s why palm oil is BAD for the environment and wildlife:
To make room for huge oil palm plantations, tropical rainforests are cut down or burned – forests that are home to endangered animals like orangutans and tigers.
That means the natural homes of endangered animals, like orangutans, Sumatran tigers, and pygmy elephants, are destroyed in the process.
These animals are either forced to flee or die in the fires. Many starve or end up in conflict with humans once their habitat is gone. Orangutans, in particular, have been hit hard—tens of thousands have died in the past couple of decades because of palm oil expansion.
On top of that, the massive monoculture plantations wipe out biodiversity and poison the land with pesticides, making it nearly impossible for native plants or animals to survive.
So behind every cheap cookie or bottle of shampoo with palm oil, there’s often a very real cost to wildlife.
Health issues of palm oil
Palm oil is found in many processed foods, and it’s not exactly a health superstar.
One issue is that most palm oil used in products is heavily refined, which strips away nutrients and can create harmful compounds. These refined oils may contain trans fats or oxidized fats, which are linked to heart disease and inflammation.
Palm oil is also high in saturated fat, which, in excess, can raise cholesterol levels and increase the risk of cardiovascular problems. Although some unrefined red palm oil has beneficial vitamins like A and E, most people consume the refined version, which doesn’t offer these benefits.
So, while palm oil may seem harmless and cheap, overconsuming it, especially from processed foods, can negatively impact your health.
How to spot palm oil
Palm oil hides under dozens of different names, especially in processed foods and cosmetics. Just because the label doesn’t say “palm oil” doesn’t mean it’s not in there. Here are some of the most common names to watch out for:
- Palm oil / Palm kernel oil / Fractionated palm oil
- Glyceryl stearate
- Stearic acid
- Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS)
- Sodium laureth sulfate (SLES)
- Cetyl alcohol / Cetearyl alcohol
- Palmitate / Ascorbyl palmitate
- Elaeis guineensis (the scientific name)
If you’re unsure, apps like CodeChec or Buycott, or lists from organizations like the Orangutan Alliance, can help you decode ingredients.
Tips to avoid palm oil
Avoiding palm oil completely can be tricky, but not impossible. Here are some easy ways to cut it out of your life – or at least drastically reduce your use:
- Stick to whole, fresh foods. Processed foods are where palm oil hides most. Cooking from scratch gives you full control.
- Read labels closely. Learn to spot palm oil’s sneaky aliases (see above).
- Buy from palm-oil-free brands. Look for products certified Palm Oil Free (POF) or from trusted ethical sources.
- Choose sustainable, ethical alternatives. If avoiding it entirely isn’t realistic, support fair trade or small-scale producers that don’t use deforestation methods.
- Simplify your personal care routine. Many natural soaps, shampoos, and cosmetics are free of palm oil, especially those from zero waste brands.
The more you look for alternatives and ask brands to do better, the more they’ll feel the pressure to change.
Why the switch may be tricky
Unfortunately, replacing palm oil isn’t a magic fix. It’s uniquely versatile, semi-solid at room temp, low cost, stable, and used in everything from:
- Ice cream
- Margarine
- Instant noodles
- Cookies and crackers
- Lipstick
- Toothpaste
- Shampoo
- Detergents
BUT: Switching to other oils (like soy, canola, or coconut) can also cause environmental damage if not done responsibly.
So the answer isn’t “swap palm oil for another monoculture crop.” The answer is to use less, demand better, and go local where possible.
Final thoughts: Your choices matter
Palm oil is one of the clearest examples of how convenience fuels climate collapse. It’s cheap, invisible, and everywhere. But you don’t have to play along.
✅ Buy whole foods
✅ Cook from scratch
✅ Support small, local brands
✅ Educate yourself
Avoiding palm oil isn’t always easy, but it’s a powerful step toward a more ethical, sustainable lifestyle.
Resources to go deeper:
